There's a problem with your browser or settings.

Your browser or your browser's settings are not supported. To get the best experience possible, please download a compatible browser. If you know your browser is up to date, you should check to ensure that
javascript is enabled.

NASA News

Text Size

Jessica Rye Kennedy Space Center, Fla. (Phone: 321/867-2468)

09.02.05

STATUS REPORT
:
S05-036

NASA's Space Shuttle Processing Status Report

Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports each week, and is the source for information regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and payloads. This report does not necessarily reflect the chronological order of future Space Shuttle missions. If you are a member of the media and would like further information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/index.html.

Discovery is in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 with processing under way for the second Space Shuttle Return to Flight test mission, STS-121. The plugs installed in the Orbiter Maneuvering System and the Forward Reaction Control System for the ferry flight from California were removed. Preparations to remove the three Space Shuttle Main Engines from Discovery continue, with engine removal to begin late next week.

The Orbiter Boom Sensor System is currently scheduled to be removed from the payload bay early next week following the holiday weekend. Technicians have begun thermography of the 22 Reinforced Carbon-Carbon panels on each wing leading edge. Thermography is a procedure that uses high intensity light to heat areas that are immediately scanned with an infrared camera.

Orbiter Atlantis was demated, or removed, from its propulsion elements, an External Tank and twin Solid Rocket Boosters, and lowered into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) transfer aisle today. Atlantis will remain in the VAB until after the holiday weekend and be rolled back to Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Endeavour (OV-105)

Endeavour is in its Orbiter Major Modification period, which began in December 2003.

External Tank

External Tank 119, the third redesigned tank to arrive at Kennedy Space Center, was moved from Port Canaveral back to the Turn Basin today. The tank will be offloaded and moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building next Wednesday, Sept. 7. The tank was loaded onto Pegasus, NASA's specially designed barge, for transport to the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The tank was held at Port Canaveral due to the impacts of Hurricane Katrina.

Due to the impacts of the hurricane, the Space Shuttle Program formed a team to review possible options and locations for performing some of the External Tank processing at Kennedy Space Center.

Previous Space Shuttle processing status reports are available on the Internet at: